SOS! Something Happens to Your Dress the Day of the Wedding — Here's How to Deal

*You've kept your dress safe-guarded from stains, tears, rips, and even sunlight for the last few months, but the time has come to reveal its grandeur. And that means opening the door to accidental damages. Our experts remind you that most of the time, a tear or stain is fixable, but if it isn't, the one thing you'll regret is letting a damaged dress ruin your wedding day. *

While we can't hardly even say the words aloud for fear of jinxing a bride, accidents do happen and sometimes that gorgeous gown you've been waiting months to wear suffers a tear or a stain on the wedding day. First, take a deep breath and pause before reacting. The worst thing you can do is to start pouring water on satin or scrubbing at a delicate silk organza. There's likely someone in your inner circle with a bit of experience in this department, so send your maid of honor out to ask for assistance.

Whether it's walking down the aisle or making the rounds at cocktail hour, no one's really going to notice if you're five minutes late, so give yourself a second to assess the damage rather than hysterically trying to mend it. Consider easy fixes like pinning a loose trim or covering a stain with an accessory. Obviously, if you have the time, wipe the dress clean and allow it to dry, or call the hotel concierge or specialist who altered your dress and ask if a seamstress can make a house call.

There are also a few big picture bullet points to keep in mind here: You're not the first bride to take her first dance floor spin as a wife with a busted bustle that has been safety-pinned into a mess by her bridesmaids. We absolutely feel your pain and send all our sympathies if droplets of red wine are splattered across your waistline. But honestly, it's really not the end of the world. We think you should grab yourself another big glass of that wine, plant an even bigger kiss on your honey, and let it go. You've already done plenty of stressing over this wedding while planning it, and now is the time to enjoy the celebration.